Ratchet mechanism.



P. C. CONTE.

RATCHET MEGHANISM.

APPLIoATIoN FILED AUG. 1e, 1912.

1,072,31 3. Patented Sept. 2, 1913 Q me i WI'IlNESSES INVENTOR nung F.C.Cc\r-rre; QJ E i -L@ ATTORNEYS nur PASQUALE C. CONTE, 0F FREEPORT,PENNSYLVANIA.

BATCHET MECHANISM. v

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1,913.

Application led August 19, 19,12. Serial No. 715,872.

To all lwhom I1715 may concern Be it vknown that I, PASQUALE LC. CONTE,a4

is understood that the device is adapted for any purpose wherein it isfound Aapplicable, and has forits object to provide means in a manner ashereinafter set forth for locking a switch point clamp in the positionto which it has been set, such position being the holding of a switchpoint in close position against a rail, at the juncture of rails forconnecting said rails.

Although the invention is designed pri-vv marily for locking a switchpoint in p0si tion, yet the invention has for its further object toprovide means for maintaining a temporary rail clamp in position duringrepair Work.

A further object of the invention is to provide a locking device thatcan be advantageously used for securely maintaining a switch in positionto prevent the switch from being tampered withfespecially when the sameis in need of repair.

Still further objects of my invention are to provide a clamping devicethat is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and highlyefficient for the purposes for which it is intended.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to behereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the draw ings wherein like numerals denotecorresponding parts throughout the several views, in which t- Figure 1is a side elevation of the clamping device in connection with a rail,Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device, Fig. 3 is a crosssectional view of the same.

A clamp in accordance with this invention comprises a sectional casing,the sections being in the form of side plates 1 and 2, the

fonmer having enlargements 3, 41 and 5 'that form compantmentsG-,and 7and a longitudinal-opening 8 between said side plates, when said platesare connected together -by screws -9 or other fastening means.

Slidably mounted in the opening 8 of the .casing is a rack bar 101havingthe upper side thereof provided with ratchet teeth 11 and the lower side.thereof with teeth 12 constituting a rackthat meshes with a pinion 13mounted on a shaft 1/1 journaled in openings 15 and 16 formed in theplates 1 and 2 respectively. The outer end of the rack bar 10 has atooth 17 that confronts a projection 18 of the casing, said toothcooperating with the projection 18 in clamping pieces of material, forinsta-nce a rail 19 and a switch tongue or point 20. TheA switch tonguecan be clamped against the side of the rail 19 whereby it cannot be.opened or movedt. i

Pivotally mounted in the compartment 7 of the casing by a transverse pin21is a toothed pawl 22 having a lug 23 that eX- tends into a notch 24provided therefor in the inner end of a lever 25 pivotally mounted upona pin 26, carried by the plates 1 and 2 of the casing. The pin 26 canrepresent one of the screws employed for connecting said platestogether. The pawl 22 is held normally in engagement with the ratchetteeth 11 by a coiled compression spring 27 interposed between said pawland the enlargement 5 of the plate 1. To lock the pawl in engagementwith the ratchet teeth 11, a cam 28 is pivotally mounted in thecompartment 7 to engage the to of the pawl, said cam being held normal yin engagement with the pawl by a small compression spring 29 located inthe enlargement 5 of the plate 1. By swinging the cam 28 out ofengagement with the pawl the lever 25 can be moved to elevate the pawl.To lock the lever 25 said lever is provided with an opening 25 for anordinary lock 26, The lock engages the top of the casing and preventsthe levery from being moved in a direction that will free the cam 28 andthe end of the pawl 22.

The shaft 14 has one end thereof stepped toreceive a side plate 30 andreduced, as at 31 to receive a nut 32 that is located upon the shaft bya Cotter pin 33. The opposite end of the shaft is hexagonal in crosssection and has a detachable cotter pin 34.

In order to operate the device there is mounted on the hexagonal portionof the shaft 14 a ratchet Wrench indicated in general at 40. With thecam 28 out of engagement With the pavvl 22 the adjustment can be easilyaccomplished, particularly when the clamping ydevice is to be closed, asthe paWl 22 recedes over thel ratchet teeth l1.

What I claim is .The combination With a longitudinally movable toothedmember, means to arrest shifting movement of said member, said meansincluding a sprmg pressed pivoted toothed member capable of engaging mthe v teeth of the movable member to arrest shifting movement of thelatter, said Apivoted member provided with a lug, a pivotally mountedlever provided With a notch for the reception of the lug and capablewhen shifted to move the pivoted member out of engagement With the teethof the movable member, a cam mounted in the upper portion yof the casingand normally engaging the pivoted member for maintaining it 1nengagement with the teeth of the movable member, and said lever providedwith an opening for the reception of a lock to arrest shifting movementof the lever. A

In testimony whereof I aiX my signature in the presence of twoWitnesses.

I PASQUALE C. CUNTE. Witnesses:

MAX H. SRoLovrrz, KATHERINE ERRETTl

